This nonfiction graphic novel epic interweaves the tale of a 10th-century Chinese emperor and Chairman Mao Zedong, two men whose love of poetry shaped their political lives in surprising ways.

A ruler who became an immortal poet. A poet who rose to rule a nation. 

In this historical epic, writer Chun Yu and artist Sung yoon Choi trace the parallel lives of two Chinese leaders—Southern Tang emperor Li Yu and Chairman Mao Zedong—and explore how poetry can shape the fate of nations. How did one man’s devotion to verse hasten the fall of a dynasty? How did another’s poetry help propel him to power? And what do their stories, separated by a thousand years yet profoundly intertwined, reveal about the relationship between art and authority in a civilization as vast, complex, and enduring as China? 

Through the intimate lens of poetry, Ink & Blood bridges centuries of Chinese history, illuminating the human cost of leadership and the lasting influence of art on politics. In the process, it provides readers with a greater understanding of one of the world’s most influential countries and, most importantly, the generations of people who have called it home.